The trend estimate of private sector other dwellings approved is showing a rise of 2.7% in December 2005. This is the second consecutive rise after six months of decline.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector other dwellings approved fell 0.6%, to 3,728, in December 2005.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

The trend estimate of the value of total building approved was unchanged in December 2005. The value of new residential building approved rose 0.3%, while the value of alterations and additions fell 0.1%. The value of non-residential building approved fell 0.4%, after ten consecutive months of growth.

The seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of total building approved fell 6.8%, to $4,606.2m, in December 2005. The value of new residential building approved fell 1.2%, to $2,426.7m. The value of alterations and additions fell 8.4%, to $412.9m.

NOTES

REVISIONS THIS MONTH

Revisions to Total Dwellings in this issue are:

NSW

Vic.

Qld.

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

TOTAL

2004-05

144

-

40

143

-

-

-

1

328

2005-06

-54

19

9

21

15

-

-

-

10

TOTAL

90

19

49

164

15

-

-

1

338

A duplicate permit removed from November 2005 data contributed to a $65 million downward revision to the value of non-residential building approved in Queensland.

UPCOMING CHANGES

Changes to the Time Series Spreadsheets.

Please note that the start date period for selected Excel time series spreadsheets for Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0) will be extended as outlined in the table below. These changes will take effect from the January 2006 issue released on 2 March 2006.

Note: not all series in the table go back to the earliest start date.

Table number

Old start date

New start date

2-8

September 1984

July 1983

11

September 1984

January 1956

12-19

September 1984

July 1970

20-21

September 1984

January 1956

22

September 1985

January 1965

23-28

September 1985

January 1956

29

September 1985

January 1965

30-34

September 1984

July 1970

35-37

September 1985

July 1970

38-39

September 1984

January 1956

40

September 1985

January 1956

41

September 1984

January 1956

42

September 1984

January 1961

43-50

September 1984

July 1970

75-82

September 1985

September 1985

83

September 1984

January 1965

84-91

September 1984

July 1970

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Paul Pamment on Adelaide (08) 8237 7499.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

NEW RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of new residential building is now showing a rise of 0.3% in December 2005, after falls in the previous six months.

ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of alterations and additions to residential building is showing a fall of 0.1% in December 2005.

NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of non-residential building is now showing a fall after ten months of growth, down 0.4% in December 2005.

DWELLINGS APPROVED

TOTAL DWELLING UNITS

For the seventh consecutive month the trend estimate for total dwelling units approved has fallen, although the rate of declined has slowed in recent months.

PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSES

The trend estimate for private sector houses approved is showing falls for the past six months, after five months of growth.

PRIVATE SECTOR OTHER DWELLINGS

The trend estimate for private sector other dwellings approved shows rises for the past two months, after six months of decline. The trend rose 2.7% in December 2005.

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED STATES AND TERRITORIES

SUMMARY COMMENTS

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved fell 0.1% in December 2005. The trend fell in all the states and territories other than Western Australia (+2.4%), the Australian Capital Territory (+14.7%) and the Northern Territory (unchanged). The largest falls were in Tasmania (-2.0%) and Victoria (-1.8%).

The trend estimate for private sector houses approved fell 0.9% in December 2005. The trend fell in New South Wales (-6.7%), Victoria (-1.2%), Queensland (-0.7%) but rose in South Australia (+0.7%) and Western Australia (+2.2%).

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

Original

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 098

2 065

1 628

646

1 557

174

67

107

7 342

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 846

2 473

2 482

881

2 039

201

115

247

11 284

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-17.1

-26.3

-21.0

-11.6

-21.0

-12.6

24.1

-0.9

-20.6

Total dwelling units (%)

-2.6

-28.0

-23.2

-1.2

-14.3

-5.6

-9.4

99.2

-15.3

Seasonally Adjusted

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 172

2 317

1 954

663

1 799

na

na

na

8 258

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 879

2 836

2 812

836

2 239

194

na

na

12 168

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-2.0

-10.1

-2.0

-1.6

1.7

na

na

na

-3.3

Total dwelling units (%)

6.2

-16.4

-6.5

-2.5

1.4

1.6

na

na

-3.5

Trend

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 155

2 339

1 961

663

1 837

na

na

na

8 276

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 741

2 923

2 939

875

2 222

196

115

164

12 175

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-6.7

-1.2

-0.7

0.7

2.2

na

na

na

-0.9

Total dwelling units (%)

-0.4

-1.8

-0.3

-0.7

2.4

-2.0

-

14.7

-0.1

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

na not available

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED

STATE TRENDS

NEW SOUTH WALES

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in New South Wales has been in decline for the past eleven months. The trend for private sector houses has fallen for the past six months.

VICTORIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in Victoria has fallen for the past seven months. The trend for private sector houses has fallen for the past seven months.

QUEENSLAND

The trend estimates for total dwelling units approved in Queensland has been in decline for the past six months. The trend for private sector houses has been in decline for the past six months.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in South Australia is showing falls for the past two months. The trend for private sector houses is showing a modest rise for the last three months.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in Western Australia has risen for the past five months. The trend for private sector houses has fallen for the past six months.